McAuliffe Hits Up Park Avenue for Cash

Some of the wealthiest men in New York City will be on Park Avenue tonight to help Terry McAuliffe, a Democratic candidate for governor, raise money for his campaign.

The fundraiser will be held at the home of Hassan Nemazee, a multimillionaire investment banker. Nemazee is chairman of Nemazee Capital. Last year, Nemazee was a co-chair of Hillary Clinton's fundraising effort for her presidential campaign.

The McAuliffe fundraiser is also being hosted by Marc and Cathy Lasry and Douglas and Lily Band, according to an invitation. Marc Lasry is founder and senior managing director of Avenue Capital Group. In 2007, Forbes Magazine ranked Lasry as the 317th wealthiest person in America, estimating he has a net worth $1.5 billion. When Chelsea Clinton graduated from Oxford, Lasry's company gave her a job.

Douglas Band also has close ties to the Clintons. Band serves as former President Clinton's chief counsel. Band joined the Clinton White House in the fall of 1995 as an unpaid intern working in the counsel's office. He became the president's personal aide full time in 1998.

The invitation does not specify the asking price for getting into the fundraiser.

That's a silly statement, especially considering that so much money will be coming in from outside of VA on both sides due to the fact that VA is one of the only states to have odd year elections for the governor's seat. The Republicans are raising money from Guliani and Palin... I say the Dems need to hit the mats as well.

Where does it say that it's unethical to partially raise money outside of Virginia for a campaign in the Commonwealth or are you just making it up? Why can't you highlight his skills at attracting investment (i.e. capital and jobs) and federal funds?

Moran is running a mismanaged campaign already and really underscores his inability to assess risk/cost figures; how will he differ in Capital Square?

Additionally, if raising funds is considered "buying" the governorship, isn't every one of our elected officials guilty? How do you propose that a candidate get from place to place to meet people and hear ideas? Walking? Not in this economy or age. Campaigns cost money to win regardless of who you are, just as hiring an accountant to manage your finances costs money. It will never change unless we get rid of money, earned privileges and the right to conduct business altogether.

I encourage you to meet Terry at any number of local events and hear him in person. I also encourage you to do the same with Deeds and Moran. All candidates are very accessible and willing to share their similar and differing ideas.